


You Should Know Me By Now

by PennedByLynn



Category: Cobra Kai (Web Series)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Angst, Canon Compliant, Fights, Friendship, Frustration, Gen, Insecurity, Missing Scene, One Shot, Prompt Fill, friendship breakup, somehow that's not a tag so i'm making it one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:21:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28945092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PennedByLynn/pseuds/PennedByLynn
Summary: This one-shot shows Hawk & Miguel dealing with the aftermath of their fight in the cafeteria. It's a bit of a glimpse into their individual reactions as they work through their pain and anger.Set after 3x07 and what I refer to as their break-up scene. And honestly? Sometimes the loss of a best friend hurts worse than the loss of an ex.
Relationships: Miguel Diaz & Eli "Hawk" Moskowitz
Comments: 11
Kudos: 27





	You Should Know Me By Now

Hawk landed blow after blow on the punching bag. It had been hours since their trip to the park, with a full hour of training in between. So why couldn’t he shake this tension vibrating through his body?

How the hell had everything gotten so twisted over the course of a single day? With Miguel finally back on his feet, he was supposed to be fighting alongside the Cobras, not against them. They should’ve been taking on the world, or the school at the very least, together.

It’s not like these past couple months at school had been bad. Even the new so-called restrictions hadn’t kept him from having a bit of fun. Besides, he knew all too well how little the adults there actually cared about the bullying taking place.

But, it wasn’t the same. Something was missing and Miguel’s return was supposed to fix that.

He delivered a few more jabs in quick repetition, preferring the sting in his knuckles to the gnawing ache in his gut, the one telling him over and over that he’d just lost his best friend.

How did Miguel not get it? He’d strode into that cafeteria a man on a mission, willing to believe the absolute worst in Hawk. Where the hell did he get off anyways?

He was acting like Hawk had intentionally hunted Demetri down just to break his arm. Like he was some sort of psychopath. Like Miyagi-Do hadn’t started that fight. Like Hawk hadn’t been filled with instant regret at the sight of Demetri writhing on the ground in pain.

Like Hawk hadn’t seen what happened to Miguel when he released Keene from that exact hold. Like Hawk didn’t still wake up in the occasional cold sweat, helpless to stop Miguel from crashing onto that stairway.

He switched to the other side of the bag, adjusting his placement. Instead of planting his feet, he stayed on his toes, following every third punch or so with a quick duck or a sidestep.

This whole time, Hawk had really thought that Miguel was on his side. It was Miguel who’d sat down at their table, all those months ago. Miguel who’d stood up for him, when nobody else had.

He’d never judged or questioned Hawk’s transformation. He hadn’t turned him away after the break-in at Miyagi-Do.

But he’s back at school for all of five minutes and he’s taking Demetri’s word over Hawk’s? Miguel should’ve known him better than that.

Hawk let out a cry of frustration as he delivered a roundhouse kick to the punching bag, trying desperately to focus on the task at hand instead of the conversation in the cafeteria that kept echoing inside his head.

He hated this. This wasn’t how today was supposed to go. But then, this wasn’t how this school year was supposed to go either.

Miguel had never once mentioned that he wouldn’t be returning to Cobra Kai and it’s not like he wasn’t given the opportunity. Despite his best efforts, Hawk was never able to keep from bringing it up whenever he saw Miguel. At the hospital, at the Diaz’s apartment. Hawk continued to remind Miguel that everyone, including Sensei, was as eager for his return as Hawk was.

He knew Johnny was helping Miguel with some of his physical therapy but talking to Miguel about their former Sensei was like repeatedly running into a brick wall: he never made any forward motion and he always left with a headache. He’d given up on commenting on it and Miguel had given up broaching the subject. He just really never thought -

And what was all that bullshit about Kreese getting in his head? Why had Miguel made it sound like such an awful thing?

He couldn’t believe that Miguel suddenly found him incapable of making his own decisions, as if he was some idiot who didn’t know any better. People had doubted him his entire life. Miguel was never supposed to be on that list.

Pausing, Hawk rested his forearm against the punching bag. His shoulders rose and fell in rapid succession as he tried to regain control over his heart rate. He tried to ignore how utterly… hurt he felt.

Sure, he was still angry. He’d certainly been angry enough to report back word of Eagle Fang (what a fucking joke that name was) to Sensei, resulting in the ambush at the park. He was petty enough to enjoy watching the optimism in Miguel’s eyes flicker out as Tory & Kyler had rounded the corner.

Hawk wanted to lash out, wanted to tell Miguel just how messed up it was for him to turn his back on Cobra Kai and him by extension. But, lately he’d found more success when he let his fists do the talking.

When Miguel had charged forward to back up Johnny, Hawk could practically taste the rematch that he’d been eagerly awaiting since Coyote Creek. He was so frustrated when Sensei had held him back.

Whatever. The time would come. It was open season on all of them now, Eagle Fang and Miyagi-Do.

Searching for his water bottle, he sat down on the nearby bench. He unscrewed the cap and took a drink before resting his forearms on his knees and allowing his shoulders to sag.

He wondered how Miguel had felt, watching Hawk walk away with the rest of the dojo falling in line behind him while Miguel remained, surrounded by the rag-tag group of Cobra Kai rejects. He hoped he was jealous, that he regretted choosing that loser Johnny Lawrence over him and what was obviously the superior dojo.

He wondered if maybe, just maybe, Miguel was hurt too. When Hawk cut off his friendship with Demetri, that was one thing. It was clear the other boy had wanted to stay stuck in the past, uninterested in the new life Hawk was carving out for himself. Despite the sting, Hawk had always known why he had to do it. But Miguel?

After sparring sessions, late-night video games, and post-training Powerades. After training for the All-Valley and throwing parties last summer. They’d always had each other’s backs. What had changed?

He should be ready to cut the other boy out completely. He knew that. Miguel had made it clear today that he was no longer a part of Cobra Kai and that made him the enemy. After all, it had been easy enough to turn on Bert, Mitch, and the others.

So why did the thought fill Hawk with such dread? Maybe because he hadn’t spent the past several months being driven by a compulsive need for revenge on their behalf.

Even now, as angry and frustrated as he was, he didn’t regret any of it. Especially not taking the car wash money. Miyagi-Do was the whole reason Miguel was in the hospital in the first place. They didn’t deserve the credit for trying to fix what they broke.

He just couldn’t shake the notion that Miguel would come to his senses eventually. Once the other boy realized how pathetic his new dojo (or lack thereof) was, he’d see the light and return to Cobra Kai.

He wanted to take a stand and act like he was on the right side of this war? Fine. Two could play at that game. But Hawk wasn’t ready to give up on him completely, not yet.

Frustrated, he pushed himself off the bench. He knew he couldn’t let any of this weakness bullshit show, especially not in front of Tory and the others. Sure, he was solidly back on top after his takedown of Brucks, but they’d sensed his hesitation in breaking Demetri’s arm.

He’d clawed his way to the top spot in this dojo and he’d be damned if he was going to lose it now.

His eyes drifted around the empty back room. He preferred it back here, the dim lighting and army-green walls were such a welcome contrast to the bright whites and fluorescents in the main dojo. It felt powerful.

Pulling his phone from his bag, he snapped a photo of the words “Cobra Kai Never Dies” painted on the back wall. He pulled up Instagram, fingers hovering over his screen. A smirk lit up his face as he thought up the perfect caption.

He stuffed his phone back in his backpack and jumped up and down a few times, shaking out his limbs to warm back up. They were still at war, after all, and Hawk was going to make sure he was the best soldier they had.

* * *

Miguel collapsed on his bed. He couldn’t stop the hiss of pain that passed his lips as his back made contact with the mattress. This was only their first practice as a dojo. How was he supposed to set the bar for the rest of Eagle Fang when he could barely get through their opening stretches?

He glanced over at his backpack, filled with textbooks and a million missed assignments. Luckily, after multiple phone calls to the principal, his mom had negotiated a way for him to make up the work he’d missed.

After getting discharged from the hospital, he’d started with the occasional take-home packet, happy to go at his own pace. The school had been willing to grant a lot of leniency given his… situation but on one condition: he had to get a passing grade on his midterms with no outside help.

He’d thought that he’d worked hard enough, asking for more and more packets and class notes while he was still recovering. But today, with just a month left until said midterms, had made it clear just how far he’d fallen behind.

Most of his teachers were cool. Rumor had it that the school board had been concerned about potential litigation. Clearly that relief had trickled down to the rest of the faculty. All except Mr. Randall, that is. As if Algebra 2 wasn’t hard enough.

Somehow, despite math being his least favorite subject, that wasn’t even the worst part of returning to school. It was like he’d stepped into a war zone that nobody had bothered to tell him existed.

He remembered his first day at West Valley so clearly. His previous experience in transferring schools had taught him the basics of navigating the cafeteria: look for tables with plenty of empty chairs and kids with their heads down. And that’s exactly how he’d found Demetri and Hawk.

Only, he hadn’t been Hawk back then, had he?

He sat up, wincing slightly at the pain, to look at the bag of six-sided dice the duo had convinced him to buy, collecting dust on the corner of his desk. Hawk - _Eli_ , he corrected himself - had been so excited about another member joining their party.

All Miguel knew about Dungeons & Dragons was what he’d learned from Stranger Things. While he enjoyed comics, D&D had always seemed like the final nerd frontier. He hadn’t cared though, as long as his new friends were by his side.

If he was being honest, that’s what hurt the worst about this whole damn thing. Everyone was scattered to the wind. And starting this new dojo didn’t feel like it did the last time. Not when he’d had Aisha and then Hawk by his side.

Sure, Bert was stronger than most people gave him credit for and Mitch… Well, Mitch certainly tried. Anyone willing to put up with that many awful nicknames and still throw his all into training was okay in Miguel’s book. But it wasn’t the same.

He couldn’t understand how his best friend had changed so much in such a short amount of time. Had Miguel really been gone that long? Had Kreese’s poison burrowed itself beneath Hawk’s skin that quickly?

True, he’d been putting off the inevitable. Anytime Hawk brought up Cobra Kai, Miguel had brushed it off. Because surely Hawk knew, right? That Miguel would never train with the man who had betrayed Sensei so badly?

He’d always thought Hawk was just messing around. Though, Hawk had never been one for subtleties.

Miguel’s cyclical internal monologue was driving him crazy but he just could not fathom how things had gotten so messed up. Hawk had stood there, in that very cafeteria they’d met, and said that he’d broken Demetri’s arm for Miguel.

In what world was that okay?! It’s not like Miguel was immune to revenge fantasies. How many times had he played the school fight over in his head, picturing what would’ve happened if he’d just finished Robby off when he had the chance?

But it wasn’t even Robby that Hawk had injured! It was their friend. Hell, hadn’t Demetri been Hawk’s _only_ friend for a long time? They had history that Miguel had never wanted to mess with. It’s why he hadn’t said shit after hearing about the mall fight.

But the nerve of Hawk to say that he’d done it for Miguel. That was almost too much to take. Did nobody think he could take care of himself? Everybody went around babying him these days and he was utterly sick of it. He didn’t need anyone else fighting his battles.

The all too familiar pinpricks of anger attacked his skin and he forced himself to breathe the way Brayden had taught him. Inhale while counting to 4, hold your breath and count to 7, exhale while counting to 8. He rolled his eyes, feeling utterly ridiculous.

Maybe he didn’t want to calm down yet.

_“I told you, I’m Cobra Kai for life.”_

That had knocked the wind out of him more than any of Hawk’s rapid-fire techniques. He’d been so relieved to hear those words after their fight at Coyote Creek, when Miguel had gotten a bit too drawn in by Kreese’s bloodlust and finished Hawk off despite already having claimed victory. Those words had meant they were brothers.

Now the phrase just spewed venom, reminding him of how much he’d lost.

Miguel groaned in frustration, running his hand through his hair as he thought back to their confrontation in the cafeteria and just how quickly it had all gone wrong. Hawk hadn’t heard what he was trying to say at all.

And yeah maybe he’d let his anger and shock get the best of him but didn’t he deserve a little benefit of the doubt here? Why had his friend immediately been so defensive? Miguel knew what it was like for Kreese to get inside your head and warp your perception. This wasn’t Hawk, not really. Not the guy he’d grown to know at least.

He’d wanted to say more but the sight of Kyler wearing a Cobra Kai shirt had been too much to bear. Cobra Kai had been started so Sensei could help him deal with his bullies and now they’d twisted the whole thing around to wreak even more havoc on the student body. And Hawk was right there beside them.

He hated how excited he’d gotten, seeing Hawk round that corner and show up at the park. For a moment, Miguel actually thought he’d gotten through to him. That Hawk had snapped out of Kreese’s ongoing war mantra and just wanted to train side by side again.

That had always been their thing. From the moment Hawk had walked through the doors of Cobra Kai sporting his new look, he’d gone all-in on training. He’d learned quickly, eager for any tips Miguel was willing to provide. They were frequent sparring partners, especially in the days leading up to last year’s All-Valley Tournament.

Not that he’d ever brought it up to Hawk, who’d probably deck him for being so sappy, but it was exactly the type of friendship he’d always wanted when he was younger. A brother-in-arms. This past summer had been the best one of his life and he’d been hoping the school year would be no different.

The accident had cost him so much. He’d missed out on nearly half of his junior year. He might never be the fighter he once was. He wasn’t talking to Tory anymore. The dojo he’d built from the ground up with Sensei had been ripped away. Did he really have to lose Hawk too?

He knew his best friend was still in there, somewhere. Clearly he wasn’t coming out anytime soon, though, and Miguel couldn’t spend anymore time trying to convince him otherwise. Hawk chose his side. But why couldn’t Miguel extinguish that flicker of hope, the one that said Hawk wasn’t quite as far gone as he was trying to appear?

The whole thing just sucked. Bad enough when there were two rival dojos. Now most of his friends (former friends?) were split into three factions, unwilling to compromise.

One day at school and he was already dreading going back. He pulled out his phone, hoping to distract himself a bit with a mindless scroll through social media.

The first post on the top of his Instagram feed was a photo of the Cobra Kai dojo wall. Hawk’s caption simply said “For life.”

Miguel threw his phone on the bed with a frustrated grunt and dragged himself to his desk to start his Algebra 2 homework. Somehow, even irrational numbers made more sense than the current chaos that was his life.

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt/suggestion from BetaCobra! The cafeteria and park scenes from this episode really pulled at my heartstrings. I think most of us knew that fight was coming but it still hurt to watch that friendship implode.
> 
> While this obviously isn't a songfic, the title is from a song that kept begging to be put on repeat while I wrote this: By Now by Marianas Trench. I have this incredibly self-indulgent Hawk playlist (filled with songs I'm sure he'd absolutely hate) that I like to write to so I might share more from time to time. Thanks for reading! <3


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